Anne Blake

I am currently a junior cello performance major at Brigham Young University and I have loved every second of it! I started playing the cello when I was three years old, and have loved the experiences that music has given me. Growing up, I moved around a lot and because of this I had the opportunity to learn from several different teachers. I think this helped me develop a well-rounded perspective on the cello and music growing up. I love playing chamber music, and have grown passionate about orchestra music as I've been able to play some of the greatest works of all time in the BYU Philharmonic. Besides music, I love skiing with my husband, photography and visiting all of the amazing national parks around Utah! 

Alexander Engelhardt

Alex Engelhardt began cello at 11 years old. Since he has became principal cellist of the Loveland High School Chamber Orchestra for two years, principal cellist of the Loveland High School Pit Orchestra for two years, and selected member of the Colorado All State Orchestra for two years. He was awarded the National School Orchestra Award for cello, as well as the John Phillip Sousa award for percussion. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor's Degree at the University of Colorado Boulder in Cello Performance.

Mary Brook Hartmann 

Mary Brook Hartmann, 15, is a freshman at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas. She currently studies with cellists Max Geissler, Wendy Smith-Butler, Leo Singer, and composer Grace Ann Lee. She trains with Rice collaborative pianist Charlie Tauber.

Mary Brook recently won First Prize in her age division of the 2020 International Grand Prize Virtuoso music competition in Bonn, Germany, where she will travel to perform at the winners’ concert this August. She also has won prizes at the Immanuel and Helen P. Olshan Foundation Concerto Competition, the Houston Civic Symphony Young Artist Concerto Competition, and Texas MTNA. She has attended the International Cello Institute, the Eastman Cello Institute, Vivace Cello Festival, Orford Music Academy, and the Rising Stars division of the Texas Strings Festival in Austin, Texas. She is excited to return for her 2nd year at Boulder Cello Festival!

Mary Brook serves as principal cello of Virtuosi of Houston Young Artists Chamber Orchestra, plays in the Houston Youth Symphony’s top orchestra, and was selected for the 2020 Texas All-State Orchestra. When not playing cello she enjoys music composition, classic film, and major league baseball.

Garrett Hayes 

I began my cello studies at the age of 10 in Arlington, Texas, and became most heavily involved in music once I had the opportunity to join higher level ensembles in high school, such as the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra and the TMEA All-State Symphony Orchestras. I currently attend the University of North Texas on a full tuition scholarship to study chamber music in an undergraduate string quartet program. Until this year, I had been studying with professor Eugene Osadchy at UNT. 

Constantine Janello 

Constantine Janello is a Chicago based cellist, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance at the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings in Mercer University’s Townsend School of Music. He is the recipient of a full-tuition Presidential Scholarship and studies with distinguished faculty Julie Albers, Richard Aaron and Leo singer. Past teachers have include: Anthony Arnone and Moises Molina. Growing up the son of two orchestral conductors, he was constantly surrounded in music and started playing cello at age 6. “Both of my parents not only exposed me to the immense amount of dedication needed to become a professional musician, but also inspired me to create my own voice through the cello.” 

Charles (Charlie) Jarvis

Charlie Jarvis has been playing cello for 8 years. Along with playing cello, he loves to play piano and violin, play board games, spend time with his family and be outside. Growing up in Grants Pass, OR, Charlie has loved to be a part of the high school solo and ensemble competition where he won the state wide competition for solo cello in 2018 and 2019. He participated in The Curtis Young Artists Summer Festival (2019) and the National Youth Orchestra (2020). He now Studies with Dr. Michelle Kesler at Brigham Young University. during his freshman year he enjoyed studying the quartet repertoire as a member of he BYU Honors Quartet. He plans to go back to BYU this fall for his sophomore year and continue studying music.

Joshua Jones

Joshua Jones is 17 years of age and lives in Brisbane, Australia. He studies cello with Howard Penny from the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and also receives mentoring from Karol Kowalik (Orava Quartet). Joshua has performed in a wide variety of settings including as soloist with the Queensland Youth Symphony in 2021 (Dvorak Concerto) and as a chamber musician. Joshua was a Recitalist in the 2019 National Youth Concerto Competition and is Principal Cello of the Queensland Youth Symphony and a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra. 

He has toured with QYS to Germany and China in 2017 and has performed in masterclasses at the Waikato International Cello Festival, New Zealand in 2016 with Richard Aaron, Li Wei Quin, Wolfgang Schmidt and Phillipe Muller. He also performed at the Melbourne Cello Festival in 2015. 

Joshua holds the Licentiate of Music Australia and the Associate of Music Australia (Distinction). He has been a prizewinner in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra Young Instrumentalist Prize four times and is a three-time winner of the Australian String Teachers Association Concerto Competition. He has also participated in the Australian Chamber Orchestra Academy over several years. His previous teachers are Dr Meta Weiss and David Requiro. 

Satoshi Kamei 

Satoshi Kamei is a rising junior in Cello Performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. 

Ariana Kyriakides

Ariana Kyriakides is a senior cellist at the Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, VA. She has been studying the cello for five years and is a current student of Jeffrey Phelps. Her former teachers include Dionne Smith, Elizabeth Richards, Michael Daniels, and Kate Kayaian. Ariana has also played in masterclasses for cellists Alisa Weilerstein, Hai-Ye Ni, and Richard Aaron. She is a member of the Bay Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Hampton Roads Chamber Players. She has also been a member of the Southeastern Virginia Senior Regional Orchestra and All Virginia Orchestra. In 2018, she was selected as a winner of the York River Symphony Concerto Competition and performed the Saint Saens Cello Concerto No. 1 with the orchestra. Ariana has spent her summers at festivals such as the Philadelphia International Music Festival and the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival. This summer, she will attend the Meadowmount School of Music to study with Hans Jorgen Jensen, and this fall, she will attend the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music to study with Matthew Zalkind.

Anna Lee 

Cellist Anna Lee, 16, resides in Cupertino and is a junior attending California Connections Academy. Anna began playing cello at age 8 and has been studying with Amos Yang at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music pre-college since age 11. She joined El Camino Youth Orchestra from 2015 to 2019. For the season of 2018, she was the co-principal cellist of the Golden State (El Camino) Youth Orchestra Senior Symphony. In addition, she has participated in the All-State Junior High School Orchestra in 2017 and 2018, and All-State High School String Orchestra in 2019. During the summers of 2017 and 2018, she attended Music at Tateuchi and the Crowden Chamber Workshop respectively. In 2019, she joined the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and Young Chamber Musicians. During the year of 2020, Anna participated in the Boulder Cello Festival and had also been invited to perform at the Junior Bach Festival. She has performed in master classes for cellists such as Paul Watkins, Amit Peled and David Requiro. Anna’s hobbies and interests include photography, baking, cooking, playing with her dog, and watching movies. 

Jaeho Lee 

In his nine years of enjoying the cello, Jaeho has won many musical awards. Recently, he was accepted into the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute on a full scholarship and won third place in the Philadelphia International Music Festival. Moreover, he placed as a national finalist in the Junior Performance division of the Music Teachers National Association competition. For three consecutive years (2018-20), Jaeho won 1st prize at the International Music Organization New York’s Solo Competition, performing at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. At the Manhattan School of Music Precollege, he consistently placed in the concerto competitions and received both the Feldman Scholarship and the Flagello Scholarship. He was the Repertory Orchestra cello section’s co-principal for two consecutive years and was the Symphony Orchestra’s principal cellist as well. Currently, he is in the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Precollege Division. At age 11, Jaeho received a scholarship for the National Arts Centre Young Artists Program, where he was the historically youngest member of the camp. There, he received masterclasses from Hans Jørgen Jensen and Carole Sirois. In Oregon, he won numerous scholarships supported by the Oregon Cello Society, including the Charlene Wilson Memorial Scholarship “for most potential.” Jaeho loves music and hopes to continue playing the cello, as well as taking up the piano again.

Katherine Lee 

Katherine Lee, 16, is a cellist who is currently under the tutelage of Jonathan Koh and has studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Pre-College. She has been playing the cello since age 6. Katherine has won multiple top prizes in competitions such as 1st place in the KAMSA Music Competition, Silicon Valley Music Competition, Korea Times Youth Music Competition. Other prizes include 2nd in the CalASTA Solo Competition and United States International Music Competition. As an avid chamber musician, Katherine has numerous chamber experiences. In 2020, her piano trio won 2nd prize at the Jane Galante Chamber Music Competition. Katherine also studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Pre-College and has been an avid member of Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra and California Youth Symphony, where she is the principal cellist. She won PACO’s 2016-17 solo competition and made her solo debut with the orchestra. In 2018, she was selected to perform at the Junior Bach Festival. She also was selected to participate in California’s All-State High School Symphony in 2020 and 2021. In past summers, she studied at Encore Chamber Music and Music at Tateuchi. Throughout her years, Katherine has been honored to play in front of great musicians such as Brinton Smith and Ralph Kirschbaum.

Elliot Lippy

I got into music with piano at age 12. At the time, I was a competitive gymnast. When I became too injured to continue in sports, I narrowed my focus, began studying violin, and, soon after, switched to cello. I never looked back. At age 15, I won the Anchorage Civic Orchestra Concerto Competition and performed the Boccherini Cello Concerto In Bb with the Anchorage Civic Orchestra. I began studying with Dr. Lutterman at University Of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), performing in UAA’s symphony and chamber ensemble. I tested out of UAA’s Theory 131 and 132, and completed 231, 232, and Counterpoint 431 with a 4.0 GPA. I also performed in the Anchorage Symphony and the Anchorage Civic Orchestra. In addition to performance, I have written over 250 works, including four symphonies, many string quartets, sonatas for various instruments, suites, and other chamber music. I recently auditioned for the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony, and I plan to study with both Dr. Lutterman and Mr. Requiro as I prepare for upcoming conservatory auditions.

Jiayi Lu 

My name is Jiayi Lu. I played cello for 4 years already, and my cello career began at the age of 12. Two years ago, I moved from Beijing to Atlanta, GA. My passion for cello started on the radio. Every night I listen to my favorite radio show, and it’s theme song is a beautiful melody played by cello. I have been inspired ever since. After I moved to America, I attended several youth orchestras and festivals including the Atlanta Junior chamber orchestras and the Atlanta symphony youth orchestra. Outside of my cello education, I love musicals and operas. My favorite musical is Notre-Dame de Paris and my favorite opera is Carmen.

Alexandra (Sasha) Lukashuk 

Alexandra Lukashuk is a seventeen-year-old cellist from Fairfax, VA. Alexandra is a founding member of the award-winning Chasqui String Quartet. As a group, they have recently been awarded the Bronze Medal in the junior string division at the 48th Annual Fischoff Competition. Alexandra is a member of the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship program where she studies with Mark Evans. During the pre-pandemic season Alexandra was an assistant principal with the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (AYP). Every summer Alexandra participates in cello performance programs and took part in the Vivace Matera International Music Festival of 2020, Cleveland Institute of Music’s Summer Cello Intensive of 2020, the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Institute, the Eastman Cello Institute, and the Intermuse International Music Institute. Alexandra has had private lessons with and played in masterclasses for Yehuda Hanani, Johannes Moser, Clive Greensmith, Natasha Brofsky, David Ying, Melissa Kraut, Alan Harris, Zuill Bailey, Alexey Seleznov, and Cecylia Barczyk. 

Sofia Puccio

Sofia Puccio is from Houston, Texas and began taking piano and cello lessons when she was seven years old. She currently studies with Michael Reynolds at Boston University. Previously, she participated in the preparatory program at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, where she studied with Cornelia Watkins. She has participated in Domaine Forget Summer Music Festival, Manhattan in the Mountains, and Sewanee Summer Music Festival. In 2019, she placed second in the Coltman chamber music competition with her string quartet, and participated in the 2019-2020 season of the Houston Young Artists’ Concert. In 2020, she won the cello division of the Bach Competition at Boston University. In her spare time, she loves cooking, reading, and playing with her cat. 

Eamon Riley 

Eamon Riley is a 17 year old cellist from Berkeley, CA studying with Sergei Riabtchenko. He attended the Crowden school and has worked in a variety of chamber music settings with ensembles and individual artists such as the Telegraph Quartet, the Fry Street Quartet, the Delphi Trio, the Cavani Quartet, Tanya Tomkins, Eric Zivian, Chee-yun Kim and many more. As a soloist Eamon debuted at Carnegie hall at age 13 and has since played solos with the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra (OSYO). He was principle cellist of the OSYO in 2018-19 season, and toured with the orchestra in China in the summer of 2019. He currently plays with the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. In November 2020 Eamon participated in the Play for the Vote program where he played at a ballot drop off site. He works for the Valley of the Moon Music Festival as a videographer, stage hand, and librarian. His favorite ice cream flavor is pistachio.

Sophia Rizzo

Sophia Rizzo, 18, has been playing cello since third grade. She currently studies privately with Michael Reynolds, cello professor at Boston University, where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in cello performance. She has participated in many solo competitions, including the San Bernardino County Solofest, where she was awarded first place in fifth, eighth and tenth grade. Because of her performances in Solofest, she received the honor of attending Idyllwild Arts Music Camp in 2016 and 2018. She also placed first and second in the Rotary Music Competition in her freshman, sophomore and junior years of high school. Sophia was principal cellist of the Big Bear Young Artists’ Ensemble and the MountainTop Strings for four years, and received the Outstanding Musicianship Award at the Forum Music Festival in 2016 for her continuo line in Corelli’s Christmas Concerto. She has performed on three European Concert Tours with the MountainTop Strings in 2016, 2017, and 2019, along with performing in Carnegie Hall in March of 2017.

Louis Saxton 

Louis Saxton is an emerging young cellist from northern Minnesota. Growing up he studied with Frances Vandorn from ages 3-15, then with Betsy Husby (University of Minnesota Duluth) and then with Peter Howard and Tony Ross. Louis has just completed his freshman year at the University of Colorado Boulder studying under professor David Requiro. Within Louis’s love for classical music, he greatly enjoys collaborating with other musicians, venturing outside the standardized repertoire list for cellists, and sometimes blurring the lines between other genres of music and finding creative ways to do them on cello. He also enjoys chamber music and playing in chamber ensembles.

Noah Vin 

My name is Noah Vin and I love the cello and would love to be a professional cellist one day. I’ve been playing cello for over 8 years now and am currently studying with Sara Styles. I am a freshman at Monta Vista High School and play in the school orchestra. I also have been playing in a local youth orchestra, Golden State Youth Orchestra, for five years and am now in the senior symphony. I’ve been a part of a cello quartet for three years with the Cal Music Prep chamber music program directed by Jonathan Koh. For the past two years, I’ve attended the Summer Music at Tateuchi camp at CSMA in Mountain View, California. I’ve also won first place at the regional VOCE competition in Palo Alto for the past two years. Earlier this year I was also accepted into All State (CODA). About four years ago, I started a youtube channel for fun to perform songs that I enjoyed. Outside of music, I enjoy competing in Judo competitions and flying remote control airplanes with my Dad.

Leyuan (Eileen) Zhang

Leyuan (Eileen) Zhang, age 14, currently studies with Brady Anderson in Pleasanton, California. She won prizes in competitions including the Kings Peak International Music Competition, Korean-American Music Supporters’ Association, United States International Open Music Competition, Tennessee Cello Workshop Competition, etc. She played in her school orchestra and the Oakland Youth Symphony Orchestra. She participated in the Vivace Cello Festival 2020. She played in masterclasses for Natasha Brofsky, Rosemary Elliott, Yeesun Kim, and Kirsten Greer. When not playing her cello, she likes to code and read.